There was someone Shaquille O’Neal missed a lot on his special night. That was Sergeant Phillip Harrison. His (step)father was responsible for shaping the most dominant center in NBA history. Shaq was a self-admitted delinquent who gave his parents a hard time. But the strict sergeant steered him to basketball and academics. He also sternly enforced his principles that his 4x NBA champion son still upholds.

The late Sgt. Harrison got the most heartfelt mentions on the night the Orlando Magic retired No.32. “If I had two wishes today, my first wish would be that my father Sgt. Philip Harrison was here tonight.” Shaq went on to credit him for his trajectory that led to this honor.

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“Without my father, my success and accomplishments in basketball would not have been realized. He believed in me even when I struggled to believe in myself. He gave me guidance, he gave me encouragement, he gave me discipline, he gave me a**-whoopings. So this honor is for him too,” admitted an emotional Shaquille O’Neal.

Dr Lucille O’Neal, Shaq’s mom, got several shoutouts on this night. O’Neal also thanked her for her “unwavering support and unconditional love and her a**-whoopings also.”

While Shaq went on to play in different franchises and cities, his family remained in Orlando until Philip Harrison passed away here in 2013. Over a decade later, his impact on O’Neal remains unflinching.

In a recent episode of The Big Podcast, Shaq recalled Harrison taking him to watch Julius Erving’s game. As soon as young Shaq expressed his wish to become like Dr. J, Harrison vowed he’d help him.

Orlando is also where Shaq-a-Claus originated. That too stemmed from the Sarge’s lessons on encouraging Shaq to be the provider and taking care of others first.

Shaq remembers his loved ones

There were more people whose absence Shaq felt. One of them was Rich DeVos, the patriarch of the DeVos family who established the organization.

He also missed his late sister, Ayesha Harrison-Jex who passed away in 2019 after a three-year battle with cancer. His brother, Jamal, and sister, Lateefah, were apparently present in Kia Center. “And hopefully my other sister, Ayesha, is in heaven watching this ceremony alongside my father and Mr. Devos.” 

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O’Neal’s emotions were palpable while addressing the media before the ceremony too. He was visibly missing his father and sister.

His mother, siblings, and all six children were in Kia Center to celebrate him. Though Shaq made a faux pas thanking his “seven kids” they were ecstatic and proud of their dad.

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